Crime & Safety

Mark Wetsch Pleads Guilty to 5 'Man in Black' Robberies, including in Albertville

A plea agreement could imprison Wetsch for 14 years for robbing Albertville's Premier Bank and four other banks. He also admitted to 25 other bank robberies in Minnesota in 2011.

The man authorities say was the 'Man in Black' pled guilty Monday to robbing the Premier Bank in Albertville as well as four other Minnesota bank robberies in 2011.

Mark Wetsch had previously pled guilty to one 2012 bank robbery in Brewster, MN that led to his arrest.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for Minnesota, Wetsch admitted "he wore a black mask and brandished a firearm believed to be real. Wetsch stole $9,350 from the First National Bank in Hastings on December 27, 2011; $3,634 from the Wells Federal Bank in St. Peter on December 22, 2011; $3,801 from the Premier Bank in Albertville on November 9, 2011; $9,445 from the Merchants Bank in Hampton on May 13, 2011; and $3,050 from the United Educators Credit Union in Eden Prairie on April 26, 2011."

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Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of 14 years.

The Wright County Sheriff's Office was part of the investigation into the spree of robberies the U.S. Attorney's Office now says Wetsch has confessed to.

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Wetsch also admitted to 25 other bank robberies and attempted bank robberies that brought the total he stole to more than $110,000:

December 29, 2011 Glenwood State Bank of Alexandria  $3,200  December 20, 2011 Franklin Bank of Minneapolis $2,350  December 14, 2011 M&I Bank of St. Paul $1,645  December 7, 2011 Premier Bank of Bloomington $850  December 5, 2011 US Bank of Hopkins $3,106  November 30, 2011 Central Bank of Minneapolis $803  November 22, 2011 Bremer Bank of Minneapolis $2,907  November 13, 2011 TCF Bank of Arden Hills $4,900  November 9, 2011 Richfield Bloomington Credit Union  attempted robbery   November 4, 2011 First National Bank of Lakes, Richfield  $8,823  November 1, 2011 Paragon Bank of Shakopee $1,444  October 22, 2011 Prior Lake State Bank, Prior Lake $7,200  June 13, 2011 First National Bank of Minnesota of Gaylord $6,946 June 3, 2011 Sherburne State Bank, Clear Lake  $3,000  April 26, 2011 Wells Fargo Bank, Faribault $2,225  April 26, 2011 Richfield Bloomington Credit Union  attempted robbery   April 14, 2011 US Federal Credit Union of Northfield  $5,280  April 11, 2011 Sterling State Bank of Savage $1,885  March 9, 2011 Klein Bank of Cologne $11,400  March 7, 2011 Bremer Bank of Minneapolis $2,030  February 17, 2011 First National Bank of Orono $4,000  February 10, 2011 United Educators Credit Union of Columbia Heights  $1,500 February 9, 2011 US Bank of St. Paul $1,000  February 4, 2011 Central Bank of Minneapolis  $1,056  January 11, 2011 Bremer Bank of Minneapolis $6,000

Related at St. Michael Patch:

  • 'Man in Black' Accused of 13 Bank Robberies Pleads Guilty to One
  • Nobles County Drops Charges Against Alleged Albertville Robber
  • Armed Robber Matching Albertville Thief's Description Strikes Again


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